


Yom Kippur

by enkelimagnus



Series: Jewish Life of Simon and Maia [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fasting, Fluff, Synagogue, Yom Kippur, daily life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-18
Updated: 2018-09-18
Packaged: 2019-07-14 00:18:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16029056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enkelimagnus/pseuds/enkelimagnus
Summary: Following Rosh Hashanah, after the ten days of Repentance, Maia and Simon celebrate Yom Kippur.





	Yom Kippur

Twenty hours into Yom Kippur, and Maia and Simon were, as usual, exhausted messes. 

Simon should have gotten used to it, growing up, starting to fast for the entire day when he hit 16, but somehow, it was a surprise every year. Maia’s introduction to the fasting was way more recent, she’d done it only once, the year before. 

They both laid in their bed, snuggling, Maia’s head resting on Simon’s chest, only half awake. Simon’s fingers mindlessly traced patterns on Maia’s shoulder, avoiding her tank top’s string. They’d napped for most of the afternoon. 

Simon’s fangs were starting to ache a tiny bit from thirst, and Maia could feel herself getting a bit dizzy, but it was pretty usual. They would be good in five hours. Plus the time to come home from the synagogue. 

They’d decided against watching tv or netflix, and their phones were tucked away somewhere where they could hear an emergency call, but it was out of sight. They’d go to the synagogue soon. Simon was supposed to stay there for longer, all day, but with the vampire abilities, came the thirst, and he didn’t want to be responsible for an accident. 

So they had read the Torah and napped together for most of the day, cuddling, half asleep most of the time. 

When the time came to go to the synagogue, they got out of bed, reluctant. The bed was so comfy, with the big blanket and the comfy pillows, and they just wanted to stay there and sink in for as long as possible. 

They got ready, dressing up pretty simply. Maia didn’t wear makeup, and they both dressed nicely, in suit and nice dress, before taking Simon’s tallit bag from the bedside table. 

Maia smiled as they held hands, walking down the sidewalk, towards the subway. Their synagogue was a couple stops away, and they couldn’t walk far right now. They were both hungry and tired. Maia tried to focus on the absolute feast that was waiting for them back home. 

Fruit cakes, and fruit salads, and chocolate cake, and everything, and tons and tons of coffee, and Simon’s favorite type of blood. She was only recently acquainted to Kippur, and for now, the food was her favorite part. 

That, and how beautiful and happy, and at peace Simon looked when he was at the synagogue. Even if the fast was hard, and the world didn’t make it easier for either of them, they were both happy to be there together. 

Maia covered her hair with her scarf when she walked in the synagogue, and Simon put on the kippah. It was dark blue with silver embroideries, his name, and other things. She helped him put on the tallit, smoothing the fabric over his shoulder. 

In a couple of hours, they would be home, to eat up. But for now, they stepped into the golden light of the main room of the synagogue. The last rays of the sun streamed through the glass windows, making the white stone walls of the room take golden reflections. 

They took their place on one of the benches, and took out their machzor to follow what was happening. They were there to start the neilah service, the last of the day, and by far Simon’s favorite. 

He found something so deeply comforting when he heard Selichot being sung by the congregation, when he could himself bring his voice to the chorus of people around him. Together, they formed one being, one voice. On Yom Kippur, he felt closest to his people than any other time in the year. 

Everyone, beating and singing as one, making the walls of the synagogue resound with their voices. Everyone, closest to God than they would ever be in the rest of the year, in their lifetime, even. He held Maia’s hand as he sang with all his heart, the words he’d learned by heart since childhood. 

The last year had been good. He’d been happy. Maia had become the Alpha, and everyone he loved was safe and happy, in their lives. He had nothing to ask, nothing he regretted from the last year. It had been two years since Valentine and Lilith had been defeated, and everyone was safer than he’d ever thought they were. 

The year coming would be as good and happy, if God wished it to be. Simon himself would work as hard as he could to make it as beautiful. And, maybe by next year, Maia would have a ring on her finger, and be his fiancée. 

From then on, the time went much faster. He sang, and prayed, and took in every single moment, every single second of being so close to Heaven. He’d never thought he would be here again, in a temple, with his people, after being turned into a vampire. And yet… 

If he was to live this life immortal, then it would be with doing everything he could to respect his God. Maybe then, if he was killed, would he be accepted into the afterlife. 

By the time the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy were over, the sun had set. If they had lived somewhere less polluted than New York, they might have been able to see the stars. Everyone was exhausted, and yet everyone sang the last words, the words that meant so much to so many. The words of the Jewish people who’d died before them, the words that reaffirmed the Lord into their life. The words of worship that were taught first to children.

The shofar was blown. One last, triumphant blow that marked the end of their Repentance. The end of the day they could almost feel the Lord’s presence with them on Earth. 

Simon and Maia decided against staying for Maariv, and went home, to eat, and kiss, and start this new year that was given to them, together.


End file.
